WCTH: Post Wedding : 'A Stop At Diamond Lake'
by SouthernBiscuit
Summary: When Elizabeth and Jack's honeymoon plans change to take them away from Chicago and rather onto Jack's assignment at Fort Clay, it becomes the journey that counts more than the destination.


WCTH: Post-Wedding - 'A Stop at Diamond Lake'

Author: Southern Biscuit

Synopsis: When Elizabeth and Jack's honeymoon plans change to take them away from Chicago and rather onto Jack's assignment at Fort Clay, it becomes the journey that counts more than the destination.

Rating: M (While it's not trashy, these two are man and wife and they are honeymooners…)

Author Note **: Jack POV** this go round. This one is for all those hearties missing Jack and Elizabeth's newlywed togetherness. Maybe the fics can help us make it through the drought.

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"Oh Jack! Look! There it is!"

Jack felt Elizabeth grab his arm and twist his sleeve in excitement. He slowed the carriage and looked off to the right side of the road and there it was before them in the bottom of the valley. No matter how many times he looked at it, the beauty of it still stunned him. She was a gem of the territory.

Diamond Lake.

He pulled the horses to a complete halt and turned to his new bride wearing a huge smile.

"She _is_ a beauty." He stared intently at his wife a moment and then bent down and stole a quick kiss.

Elizabeth shook his arm and pointed at the lake in mock frustration.

"Jack-look at the lake!" But her slight giggle kept any venom from her chastisement.

Jack briefly glanced down into the valley toward the picturesque blue-green waters of the lake glistening in the afternoon sun and then pulled his eyes back toward Elizabeth. Her eyes were shining and she seemed so happy.

He was thrilled that she'd come with him. The thought of leaving her behind so soon after their wedding was like a punch in the gut. Even now, the thought of her returning to Hope Valley, leaving him at Fort Clay for eight weeks upset him but having her to himself for a few more days- and nights- was more than he'd hoped for when he'd been given the orders.

As he commanded the horses forward again, she was practically bouncing with excitement. "I can't wait to get our camp set up! It's going to be a clear night and we can build a fire and do some star-gazing!"

He smiled at her enthusiasm. It sounded pretty wonderful.

Another night holding her in his arms.

Another night touching her.

Another night being one with her.

He barely held a groan inside as he hurried the horses down the trail that led to the lakeside.

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"Just tie that off right there sweetheart." Jack pointed as he gave the directive and then finished driving a stake into the ground. Elizabeth bent over to secure the ties at the edge of the heavy canvas tent around the metal anchor post.

She did as asked and then stood back to admire their handiwork. "Wow, you really know what you're doing with this tent Mr. Thornton."

Jack grinned at her and gave a quick, confident wink. "I should _Mrs. Thornton_. I've spent more than one afternoon setting one up…I think it's in the first thing you learn at Mountie training."

Elizabeth smiled back. "I guess you'll do a lot of tent instruction the next several weeks then."

He shrugged and then grimaced slightly. "Yeah, I suppose I will."

He bent down to retrieve the bedding they'd packed and then went inside the tent to lay out the blankets they'd brought into a semblance of a bed on the canvas floor. When he came back out of the tent, he was immediately treated to a view of his new wife bending over stacking firewood she'd gathered earlier into a small pile nearby. He stopped and just enjoyed the view of her backside for a long minute before he could stand it no longer.

He waited until she bent over again and then reached his hand out to lightly swat her on the rear.

As he knew she would, she stood straight upright, dropped the wood and immediately turned to face him, her mouth forming a huge 'O' and her eyes wide in disbelief.

"Jack Thornton! I cannot believe you just did that!"

He quickly pretended to be looking through their supplies.

"Did what sweetheart?"

She reached out to swat him on the arm and he gave an evil chuckle and held his hands up.

"You know _what_! I _cannot believe_ you did that!" She gave him a scowl but without much heat and he finally gave in with a smile.

"I couldn't help myself. You have the cutest backside."

Again, her face showed her dismay at his open admission.

"Jack! You're not supposed to discuss such…such things!"

He shook his head, still laughing at her reaction. She was going to have to get used to a lot of new things he planned on 'discussing' and also acting upon. Her cute, round backside was just one of those.

Smiling like the devil, he rose from his crouch to pull her toward him and she immediately collapsed against his chest.

"Mrs. Thornton, I intend to swat your beautiful…backside… quite often and do a number of other…shall we say…'unmentionable' things to you." Leaning in, he captured her outraged gasp and kissed her - softly at first - but then, he gave up trying to resist the lure of her mouth and deepened the kiss until he heard her soft sigh. It was a sound that he was learning meant her resistance was weakening fast.

He let his hand trail from her back to her neck and he kissed her then with his lips and teeth, his tongue playfully darting to her neck to taste the delicious skin there.

She made the incredible sound again and he felt himself unraveling. One hand held her neck while the other slid down her body to cup the delicious weight near her breast through her travel blouse. His entire body hardened in an instant.

He'd made a vow to himself to go slower tonight with her; to enjoy the evening…talk…but if he kept kissing her and she kept responding to him this way, he was going to take them both to the hard ground.

He forced himself to pull away from her; her eyes shining with her own unfulfilled desire for him, his ironic reward for showing his own self-restraint. After the last several nights spent in bed with her, his ability to stop things was an incredibly weak thread.

"I think it's time I caught a few fish for supper…" He almost growled the statement as he pulled away. He needed to get away from her for a short while or he was going to love her where she stood.

"Um…OK…yeah…that would be good." She sounded as out of breath and control as he felt and he bit his jaw and began to quickly gather his fishing gear from where he'd stowed it.

She moved over toward another bag and opened it, not looking directly at him. He noticed the slight shake in her hands as they moved.

Was that because of him?

 _Could she possibly feel this intensity between them as strongly as he did?_

He scoffed at himself. He'd tried to be careful with her in their loving the previous few nights and she'd seemed to appreciate his efforts.

But now…

He wasn't sure of anything.

Except that he had to go fish or he never would.

He got up and without looking at his beautiful wife again, grabbed his fishing pole and headed out toward the water.

############################

"That was delicious." Elizabeth emptied her tin plate out and used a small amount of water from Jack's Mountie issue canteen to rinse both she and Jack's now empty plates.

Jack had to admit-there wasn't much better than a salt-encrusted, pan-fried, Diamond Lake rainbow trout. And he'd managed to snag a couple of beauties that they'd been able to pair with his canned beans for a pretty sporty supper.

"I can cook trout over a fire better than I can cook eggs on a stove." He shot her a sheepish grin.

She paused while shoving the tin plates back into Jack's canvas bag and returned his smile. "Well, I don't believe I can argue with that."

He chuckled and tossed another small log onto the fire in front of them. Now that the sun was about to set, the lake was ablaze with beautiful color and he wanted to share it with her. He pushed one of their two canvas bags full of supplies over in front of a small rock outcropping near the tent and then leaned back and looked over toward his wife who was folding their napkins.

"Elizabeth, leave the rest of that until morning and come sit beside me and watch the sunset."

Elizabeth's hands paused as she glanced toward him. She shoved the napkins into the bag, dusted her hands together and stood and walked toward him.

He patted the ground beside him where he'd spread a small flannel blanket for her to sit on. Taking her hand, he helped her ease down beside him.

Finally situated, she eased against his side snugly and put her head on his shoulder with a loud sigh of contentment.

Jack let out his own breath and squeezed her to him.

Beautiful view. Beautiful wife leaning on his shoulder. This was surely a small glimpse of heaven.

He couldn't imagine anything much better.

Well…maybe a thing…or two.

But for now, he was satisfied to revel in his happiness.

"It is one of the prettiest sights." Her voice held awe as she watched the yellow and red and pink hues of the sunset across the clear water.

Jack didn't disagree. "I feel like the luckiest man on earth right now." He hugged her even closer and they sat in silence for several minutes just taking in the beauty before them.

When night finally began to fall in earnest, Jack didn't wait to be asked. He knew his wife well enough to know what she'd want soon. He reached for the kerosene lantern and used a match to light it. The pleasant low light spread around them to compliment the firelight and then he reached beside them for a second small blanket.

"Lean forward sweetheart and I'll put this around your shoulders."

She did so and sighed when the warmth of the blanket encompassed her fully.

"Thanks."

She sighed a sound of contentment and leaned into his side once more. He put both of his arms around her and held her tightly. They remained in like that for long moments, each of them cherishing the closeness.

Jack finally broke the peaceful silence.

"Elizabeth…did you mean what you said the other day?" He paused and leaned back slightly to look down at her. "You know about how you knew that you wanted to be my wife while we danced on that first date?"

She raised her chin to study him, thinking he was teasing but then realizing his sincerity.

"Yes, I meant what I said Jack. That night, when I sat down to write my feelings down, I realized how I was beginning to feel...and I…I could see us together this way…for the first time…but…"

Jack sensed her pause and squinted his eyes slightly and repeated the word.

" _But_ …?"

She reached for his hand an intertwined their fingers as she spoke again. "I was frankly… _terrified_ by how strongly I was attracted to you…but I couldn't seem to fight how everything just seemed to… _fit_ between us when we were together."

He nodded. "I understand."

But still, she tried to explain further.

"I mean...I was _so scared_ but I couldn't seem to fight what was happening even when I knew that we were completely irrational as a couple…we made absolutely no logical sense together…You were a Mountie and certainly not what I had ever envisioned for my life…"

She trailed off and Jack leaned down to give her a gentle kiss before leaning back again. "I hope that I can always show you that you made a wise decision taking a chance on me."

Elizabeth stroked the fingers she held and smiled up at him. "I have no doubt."

She brought his hand to her face and rubbed the back of it across her cheek. He was amazed at how the softness against the back of his own hand felt. He'd never thought to touch her exactly like this. And he loved watching her move his hand wherever it felt best to her.

He realized that he was learning-her.

"Jack…"Her voice was soft but curious. "When did you _know_?" Her eyes had drifted closed as his hand caressed her but now they fluttered open in expectation.

" _Know_?"

She nodded and he knew exactly what she meant.

"I think I knew I was in big trouble when I watched you trying to mount a horse one morning. You were in a huff…in a hurry- as always- and you were agitated at me…" He snorted and chuckled. "… _like usual_ …and you were so determined to get upon that horse by yourself and show me and everyone else that you were to be taken seriously."

She made a face at his memory and stuck her tongue out at him. " _That?_ That was the moment you knew you had feelings for me? That you wanted to…marry me?"

He nodded and reached for a cup of coffee sitting beside him.

"Yep. When I lay down that night at the jail…all I could see in my mind…over and over was you trying to climb that horse…that cute little backside of yours swaying."

He grinned as he glanced at her and then back toward the fire.

"I had the craziest urge to put my hands on you…I wanted to redo the moment and go help you…be your knight in shining armor…and I…I think I knew even then…You were _the one_ …the one that could cause me to throw every good intention I had away and try and make you mine."

She squinted her nose and shook her head.

"Not very romantic."

He nodded his agreement. "I know but the next day, we argued- _yet again-_ and I realized that the reason I kept arguing with you was because I just wanted an excuse to talk to you…to get your attention solely on me."

He chuckled thinking of the memories. "You were so determined to do things your way and be a great teacher and you were so focused on doing your job…and well, I just couldn't leave you alone and let you do it without being a focus of all that personal attention you were dishing out."

He tapped her nose with his forefinger and smiled and she indulged him with one of her own. "Like you, I knew it was stupid of me to be attracted to you… _the very reason_ I was stuck being stationed where I didn't want to be and I wanted _no part_ of Coal Valley…but…there it was anyway… these feelings we have between us…and there wasn't much I could seem to do to stop them. I told myself over and over that I had no intention of _ever_ marrying…and certainly no intention of getting involved with a society girl who didn't know how to properly mount a horse."

She immediately took offense and punched him in the arm lightly. "I ride a horse very well I'll have you know!"

He grinned and laughed aloud. "Yes, you do Mrs. Thornton…. it's among the many of your… _unspoken talents_."

The innuendo in his voice made her dip her head slightly and Jack could see that sweet blush, even in the firelight.

She leaned forward and dropped her head completely before letting out her own snort of depreciating laughter.

"All that time…" She shook her head in almost disbelief as she looked up and stared at the firelight. "And we both knew within months…and yet…we fought it and we argued and doubted" She shook her head almost in a bit of pain. "Oh…the time we just… _wasted_."

Jack stopped her right there. With his hand, he brought her face up toward his and looked in her eyes intently.

"Elizabeth, I prefer to think that all that time we thought we wasted was just time that God was getting us ready for each other." He leaned in to give her a soft kiss but didn't push further, just letting her digest his thought.

Her eyes sparkled as she pulled back and then they filled with unshed tears and her look was one of tenderness as she reached up with both hands to cup his face, her thumbs caressing his jawline.

"I have never loved you more than I do right now Jack Thornton."

He wiped a small tear away from her cheek and gently kissed the damp spot beneath his thumb.

"Love me then Elizabeth." His voice was an earnest whisper, intended to go straight to her heart the same way her words had pierced his.

And he stood, he reached down for the lantern and then held his other hand out for her, saying nothing but letting her make the decision.

She didn't hesitate but placed her small hand in his larger one and let him pull her to her feet.

Saying nothing more, Jack shoved back the flap of the canvas tent and led her inside.

#############################

Inside, Jack stood in the center and faced his new bride, neither of them wanting to speak as the emotions danced between them. He placed the small lantern on the ground and then stood straight pulling the blanket from her shoulders and tossing it toward the others at their feet.

"Turn around sweetheart." It was a softly spoken command and she paused only a moment before slowly turning away from him and waiting.

Jack gently reached for the latch on her skirt and unbuttoned it and then just as gently lowered the skirt to her feet and helped her step out of it before tossed the garment aside. His arms came around her from behind and crossed at her waist for a moment and he could feel her breath rising and falling in shallow spurts and his heart was set on fire.

Leaning downward, he kissed the back of her neck as his hands caressed her waist. He moved to her ribcage and heard her sharp intake of breath. His nose played in her soft hair and he inhaled her intoxicating scent.

"I love your scent." He growled it lowly near her ear and enjoyed the small shudder he felt go through her.

"It's just perfume…" She responded and he shook his head even though she couldn't see him.

" _No_ …it's _you_ …" He turned her a bit aggressively and her breath caught and her mouth fell open slightly in surprise, her own desire for him evident.

Jack knew he had to do more or he'd go mad.

Unwilling to wait any longer, he reached for the hem of her blouse, pulling it from her skirt and then brought his hands up to begin unbuttoning it. Her hands came up to cover his and he paused for a moment but when she didn't try to slow him, he continued.

"I want to see you again sweetheart." His explanation was honest and simple.

He felt her nod against his own cheek. "Yes."

His hands released her top button and he began to ease the blouse from her shoulders. When he revealed the tight corset beneath, he made his own sound of approval. She wore a snug white corset that promised the allure of her beautiful, full breasts beneath it.

He held her eyes intentionally as he pulled his fingers down the front of the corset, unhooking the first eyelet with a tiny pop. Elizabeth expelled a tiny sound that made him want to move faster.

Another hook.

Another breath.

One by one until the corset hung open, just clinging to the outside of her breasts.

Still holding her eyes, he began to peel the tight corset away from her until it suddenly fell to the tent floor behind them. He watched Elizabeth's eyes flutter shut ever so briefly as the pulse in her neck raced.

 _Stunning._

He stopped his hands and simply stared at her. Self-conscious, she raised her arms to cross them but he stopped her.

"No, please…You're just…I don't have… the words Elizabeth."

She dropped her arms to his forearms, unleashed a shaky breath she'd been holding and gave him an endearing, understanding smile. "So are you Jack."

She reached up for the buttons of his cotton shirt but he was too impatient and tore it over his head and tossed it aside.

Elizabeth gasped at his sudden action, her eyes widening.

Jack loved that he could make her react to his body that way. He wanted to see all of her reactions, hear all of her sounds.

He pulled her against him, their bare chests touching and she gasped again into his shoulder. He groaned and dropped his forehead to meet hers. He knew there was nothing that could feel any better than his wife close against him this way.

Her breasts moved slightly against him and he closed his eyes in exquisite pleasure. He moved his hands upward from her waist to the warm skin of her stomach until he held her full breasts within his hands.

"Jack…" His name on her lips was always beautiful but when she breathed it with weakness and desire, it was incredible.

He began to squeeze her slightly and her breathing sharpened. Leaning downward, he kissed just the tops of her fullness and she brought a hand upward.

" _Let me_ sweetheart…I won't hurt."

Her hand fell away and her neck fell back and Jack knew there was nothing he could ever see any more beautiful. He watched in reverence as his own thumbs brushed across the hardened tips.

"Jack!"

 _She needed this from him?_

He leaned toward her and opened his mouth around one perfect tip.

And almost fell to his knees.

He tasted her, pulled at her and with heavy eyes, watched her unravel in his arms.

He had to have his wife. _Now._

When he could stand it no more, he brought her warm mouth once more to his as he reached around to her skirt and unbuttoned it and it too fell to the floor. Quickly, he unbuttoned his own pants and somehow never took his mouth completely from hers.

Her hands actually were helping him!

When she slid her palm over his hardness, he couldn't prevent his own cry of pleasure.

" _Ohhh, ah_ …"

He caught her hand in his own and stopped her still. "No…baby…no…too much…"

He watched her bite her lip uncertainly and nod. He didn't want to scare her or make her believe her touch wasn't welcome. After he dropped his pants and stepped out of them, he stepped back toward her and cupped her cheek.

"Jack…I'm sorry…" She began and he quickly cut her apology off with a searing kiss. Pulling back, he shook his head. " _No, Elizabeth_ …I _love it_ when you touch me it's just that I love you so much and I'm already …ready to be with you and when you do that…I just…I can't…"

She gave him a shy smile. "Wait?"

He snorted and smiled back. "Yeah. _Wait_. I can hardly do it when it comes to you."

She nodded understanding and held his eyes. "Um, should I lay down?"

He kissed her nose. " _Please._ "

She eased down onto the soft blankets and pulled them up on her legs.

Looking down at her he pulled down his underpants and was pleased that she didn't look away from him tonight, even if the lantern revealed her embarrassment.

Bending on one knee, he bent over her and reached for her undergarment. When her hands went to his this time, it wasn't to push him away but to help. Together, they slid hers down as well and Jack looked down at his wife with something akin to awe inside.

 _She was created just for me._

The thought struck him even as his excitement continued to heighten. He squeezed his eyes closed a moment at the enormity of his love for her. The enormity of his desire.

When he opened them, it was to see her studying him carefully.

He smiled.

"Have I told you how much I love you Elizabeth Thornton?'

She smiled.

"I believe so but you can always say it again Jack Thornton."

He moved to cover her body with his own, holding up just slightly on his knees and then, he gently brought her arms up beside her head with his hands and held her wrists lightly. She didn't seem to fear what was about to happen.

 _"I love you."_

He readied himself and then reached one hand downward and began to enter her carefully. He could feel her opening beneath him and it took his breath away.

"I love you…I love you…"

He repeated it as he plunged in completely and then began to move within her glorious body.

In his ear, he heard her beautiful cry and, he knew it wasn't one of pain or discomfort. It was a cry of fulfillment…a cry of love…for him.

"Jack…oh…y… _yes_."

He moved faster wanting nothing more than to empty himself inside this woman who was the very center of his universe.

"Yes?" He asked breathlessly.

Her voice was choked as she responded.

 _"Yes please."_

He pushed harder and faster, lifting her hips with his hands slightly until he could get no closer. She cried out and he paused.

" _No_!" He felt her nails at his back, scraping his shoulders, urging him to continue.

His own excitement surged even more when he felt her body clasp around him tightly.

Her head fell back and her neck was totally exposed. He leaned to suckle there and plunged his mouth downward to her breasts once more. When he suckled her now-he tugged at her and she made a sound that was almost his undoing.

"Jack…oh…please…oh…"

He looked upward to her. "What do you need baby?"

"Jack… _please_!" Her cry was aggressive and then she slightly softened her cry. "Please…"

"Yes…yeah… Love you."

He drove into her harder than he ever had and she pushed her head to the side into the soft blanket.

"Ah."

Suddenly, he felt her still.

 _And he realized…_

He pushed into her for just a few more strokes for there was no stopping his own body from finding comfort and ease within her.

He leaned back and spilled into her with a harsh moan of his own.

And they both stilled. Both understanding the magnitude of what had passed between them.

Together, they had found pure joy.

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Finis.

Hope you enjoyed a glimpse into the private life of this lovely couple.

Let me know if you do. I read and cherish all the feedback!


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